Arrangements, Methods, and Software for Managing Objects and Resolving Different Types of Events Associated with Such Objects

Abstract

An arrangement for resolving different types of events includes a central system communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of lower level systems. The central system is configured to receive information associated with a particular event from one of the plurality of lower level systems, to determine an event type associated with the particular event, and to determine whether the central system includes a particular policy associated with resolving the event type associated with the particular event. When the central system includes the particular policy, the central system is further configured to resolve the particular event in accordance with the particular policy. Moreover, when the central system does not include the particular policy the central system is further configured to request information associated with the particular policy, to receive the information associated with the particular policy, to resolve the particular event in accordance with the particular policy, to store the particular policy in a database, and to resolve future events that are of the event type associated with the particular type of event in accordance with the particular policy.

1 . An arrangement for resolving different types of events, comprising a central system communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of lower level systems, wherein the central system is configured: 
 to receive information associated with a particular event from one of the plurality of lower level systems;    to determine an event type associated with the particular event; and    to determine whether the central system comprises a particular policy associated with resolving the event type associated with the particular event, wherein when the central system comprises the particular policy the central system is further configured to resolve the particular event in accordance with the particular policy, and when the central system does not comprise the particular policy the central system is further configured:    to request information associated with the particular policy;    to receive the information associated with the particular policy;    to resolve the particular event in accordance with the particular policy;    to store the particular policy in a database; and    to resolve future events that are of the event type associated with the particular type of event in accordance with the particular policy.    
   
   
       2 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lower level systems is selected from the group consisting of a security system, a network system, a storage system, a node system, and an application system.  
   
   
       3 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the central system is further configured to filter and to store the information associated with the particular event when the particular event has a first status, and to determine whether the central system comprises the particular policy when the particular event has a second status.  
   
   
       4 . The arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein the second status comprises a critical type of event, and the first status comprises a non-critical type of event.  
   
   
       5 . The arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein each critical type of event and each non-critical type of event is selected by an operator of the plurality of lower level systems.  
   
   
       6 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the central system is operated by a first entity, and each of the plurality of lower level systems is operated by a second entity that is different than and not associated with the first entity.  
   
   
       7 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the central system is configured to determine the event type associated with the particular event based on which of the plurality of lower level systems transmits the information associated with the particular event to the central system.  
   
   
       8 . A method for resolving different types of events, wherein a central system is communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of lower level systems, and the method comprises the steps of: 
 receiving information associated with a particular event from one of the plurality of lower level systems;    determining an event type associated with the particular event;    determining whether the central system comprises a particular policy associated with resolving the event type associated with the particular event;    when the central system comprises the particular policy, resolving the particular event in accordance with the particular policy; and    when the central system does not comprise the particular policy, requesting information associated with the particular policy, receiving the information associated with the particular policy, resolving the particular event in accordance with the particular policy, storing the particular policy in a database, and resolving future events that are of the event type associated with the particular type of event in accordance with the particular policy.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of lower level systems is selected from the group consisting of a security system, a network system, a storage system, a node system, and an application system.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of filtering and storing the information associated with the particular event when the particular event has a first status, and wherein the step of determining whether the central system comprises the particular policy comprises the sub-step of determining whether the central system comprises the particular policy when the particular event has a second status.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second status comprises a critical type of event, and the first status comprises a non-critical type of event.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each critical type of event and each non-critical type of event is selected by an operator of the plurality of lower level systems.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the central system is operated by a first entity, and each of the plurality of lower level systems is operated by a second entity that is different than and not associated with the first entity.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of determining the event type associated with the particular event comprises the sub-step of determining the event type associated with the particular event based on which of the plurality of lower level systems transmits the information associated with the particular event to the central system.  
   
   
       15 . A software arrangement which, when executed by a processing arrangement associated with a central system communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of lower level systems, is configured to perform the steps of: 
 receiving information associated with a particular event from one of the plurality of lower level systems;    determining an event type associated with the particular event;    determining whether the central system comprises a particular policy associated with resolving the event type associated with the particular event;    when the central system comprises the particular policy, resolving the particular event in accordance with the particular policy or forwarding the information associated with the particular event to an operations manager system; and    when the central system does not comprise the particular policy, requesting information associated with the particular policy, receiving the information associated with the particular policy, resolving the particular event in accordance with the particular policy, storing the particular policy in a database, and resolving future events that are of the event type associated with the particular type of event in accordance with the particular policy.    
   
   
       16 . The software arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of lower level systems is selected from the group consisting of a security system, a network system, a storage system, a node system, and an application system.  
   
   
       17 . The software arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the software arrangement is further configured to perform the step of filtering and storing the information associated with the particular event when the particular event has a first status, and wherein the step of determining whether the central system comprises the particular policy comprises the sub-step of determining whether the central system comprises the particular policy when the particular event has a second status.  
   
   
       18 . The software arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the second status comprises a critical type of event, and the first status comprises a non-critical type of event.  
   
   
       19 . The software arrangement of  claim 18 , wherein each critical type of event and each non-critical type of event is selected by an operator of the plurality of lower level systems.  
   
   
       20 . The software arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the central system is operated by a first entity, and each of the plurality of lower level systems is operated by a second entity that is different than and not associated with the first entity.  
   
   
       21 . The software arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the step of determining the event type associated with the particular event comprises the sub-step of determining the event type associated with the particular event based on which of the plurality of lower level systems transmits the information associated with the particular event to the central system.  
   
   
       22 . An arrangement for managing objects and for resolving different types of events associated with the objects, comprising: 
 an operations management system configured: 
 to select a particular object to be managed by the arrangement;  
 to determine an object type associated with the particular object;  
 to associate an event selection policy with the particular object based at least on the object type associated with the particular object, wherein the event selection policy indicates at least one event type that is associated with the particular object;  
 to selectively associate an agent with the particular object, wherein the agent is associated with one of a plurality of lower level systems; and  
   a central system communicatively coupled to the operations management system and to each of the plurality of lower level systems, wherein the central system is configured: 
 to receive information associated with a particular event from one of the plurality of lower level systems, wherein the particular event originates from the particular object;  
 to determine an event type associated with the particular event; and  
 to determine whether the central system comprises a particular policy associated with resolving the event type associated with the particular event, wherein when the central system comprises the particular policy the central system is further configured to resolve the particular event in accordance with the particular policy, and when the central system does not comprise the particular policy the central system is further configured: 
 to request information associated with the particular policy;  
 to receive the information associated with the particular policy;  
 to resolve the particular event in accordance with the particular policy;  
 to store the particular policy in a database; and  
 to resolve future events that are of the event type associated with the particular type of event in accordance with the particular policy.  
 
   
   
   
       23 . The arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of lower level systems is selected from the group consisting of a security system, a network system, a storage system, a node system, and an application system.  
   
   
       24 . The arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein the central system is configured to determine the event type associated with the particular event based on which of the plurality of lower level systems transmits the information associated with the particular event to the central system.  
   
   
       25 . The arrangement of  claim 22 , wherein the operations management system is further configured: 
 to selectively review the event selection policy; and    to selectively alter the event selection policy.    
   
   
       26 . A method for managing objects and for resolving different types of events associated with the objects, wherein a central system is communicatively coupled to an operations managing system and each of a plurality of lower level systems, the method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a particular object to be managed by the arrangement;    determining an object type associated with the particular object;    associating an event selection policy with the particular object based at least on the object type associated with the particular object, wherein the event selection policy indicates at least one event type that is associated with the particular object;    selectively associating an agent with the particular object, wherein the agent is associated with one of a plurality of lower level systems;    receiving information associated with a particular event from one of the plurality of lower level systems, wherein the particular event originates from the particular object;    determining an event type associated with the particular event;    determining whether the central system comprises a particular policy associated with resolving the event type associated with the particular event;    when the central system comprises the particular policy, resolving the particular event in accordance with the particular policy; and    when the central system does not comprise the particular policy, requesting information associated with the particular policy, receiving the information associated with the particular policy, resolving the particular event in accordance with the particular policy, storing the particular policy in a database, and resolving future events that are of the event type associated with the particular type of event in accordance with the particular policy.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of lower level systems is selected from the group consisting of a security system, a network system, a storage system, a node system, and an application system.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of determining the event type associated with the particular event comprises the sub step of determining the event type associated with the particular event based on which of the plurality of lower level systems transmits the information associated with the particular event to the central system.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of: 
 selectively reviewing the event selection policy; and    selectively altering the event selection policy.